Door hinge mechanism

ABSTRACT

A door hinge mechanism provided between a movable door and a door pillar rigid with a chassis of a vehicle, includes a reinforcement member fixedly attached to an inner portion of the door, a fixed member rigidly mounted on the door pillar, a stopper means provided on the fixed member, and a hinge pin member for pivotally mounting said reinforcement member and said fixed member, and serratedly connected with the fixed member, stopper faces formed on a first and second extended portions of the reinforcement member being connected with the stopper means upon door opening, whereby the open angle of said door is limited.

United States Patent [19 1 Eukumoto DOOR HINGE MECHANISM [75] Inventor: Ryoichi Eukumoto, Nagoya City,

Japan [73] Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha, Aichi Pref., Japan [22] Filed: Mar. 14, 1973 21 App]. No.: 341,267

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 14, 1972 Japan 47-30712 Apr. 3, 1972 Japan 47-39273 [52] U.S. Cl. 16/191, 16/145 [51] Int. Cl E05d 11/10 [58] Field of Search 16/191, 145, 180,146

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,712,149 7/1955 Harms 16/191 3,065,497 11/1962 Faber 16/146 1 1 Feb.4, 1975 12/1970 Marchione 16/145 3/1973 Ventre 16/145 Primary Examiner-Paul R. Gilliam Assistant ExaminerDoris L. Troutman Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Oblon, Fisher, Spivak, McClelland & Maier [57] ABSTRACT A door hinge mechanism provided between a movable door and a door pillar rigid with a chassis of a vehicle, includes a reinforcement member fixedly attached to an inner portion of the door, a fixed member rigidly mounted on the door pillar, a stopper means provided on the fixed member, and a hinge pin member for pivotally mounting said reinforcement member and said fixed member, and serratedly connected with the fixed member, stopper faces formed on a first and second extended portions of the reinforcement member being connected with the stopper means upon door opening, whereby the open angle of said door is limited.

6 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTED FEB 4l975 SHEET 10F 5 PATENTED FEB 4 I 75 SHEET 2 OF 5 PATENTED FEB 41975 SHEET 3 OF 5 FIG. 5

FlG.6

PATENTED E SHEET U 0F 5 PATENTEI] FEB 4l975 SHEET 5 UF 5 noon HINGE MECHANISM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention This invention relates to a door hinge mechanism for vehicles generally, and more particularly, to a door hinge mechanism having door holding means which is SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present inventionto provide a novel and improved door hinge mechanism for vehicles which is inexpensive toconstruct.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved door hinge mechanism for vehicles which is capable of holding the door inthe open state when the vehicle is on a slope or is experiencing strong wind conditions or the like.

Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of this invention, these and other objects are obtained by providing a door hinge mechanism between a movable door and a door pillar rigid with a vehicle chassis, the door hinge including a reinforcement member fixedly attached to an inner portion of the door, a fixed'member rigidly mounted on the door pillar, a stopper means provided on the fixed member, and a hinge pin member for pivotably mounting the reinforcementmember and the fixed member and serratedly connected'with the fixed member, the reinforcement member having first and second extended portions, and stopper faces formed on the first and secondextended portions connectable with the stopper means upon door opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of this invention will be more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIG. I is a partially sectioned view of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view showing the operating state of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1, illustrating, however, a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 5, illustrating, however, a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the reinforcement member of the invention; and

FIG. 8 is a section taken along the line III'III of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERREDv EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, particularly FIGS. 1 to 4 showing the first embodiment, the reference numeral 10 designates a door with a reinforcement plate II welded at the inner portion thereof. The reference numeral I2 represents an outside plate of a vehicle body (not shown). A fixed plate I3 is welded on a door pillar I4 which in turn is fixed to the outside plate I2. A door hinge member is constructed by extended portions 11a and 11b of the reinforcement plate II and are connected with the fixed plate 13 as seen in FIGS. 2 and 7. This door hinge member is pivotally mounted by a hinge pin 15 serratedly engaged with the extended portion Ila of the reinforcement plate II. A roller 16 is pivotally mounted on the pointed end of the extended portion Ila of the reinforcement plate 11 by a roller pin 17. A torsion bar 18 includes a base portion which passes through the fixed plate 13 and an upper bending portion 18b capable of contacting with the roller I6. A lower bending portion 180 is fixedly attached to the fixed plate 13 at an end portion 18d thereof. A stopper face He formed on the extended portion Ila of the reinforcement plate I] is engaged with the base portion 18a of the torsion bar 18 upon full opening of the door 10 and the full opening angle of the door 10 is therefore limited. The reference numeral 19 is a guide groove of a window glass and the reference numeral 20 shows a reinforcement plate of the door pillar 14. When the door 10 is opened, the torsion bar 18 is operated to close the door 10 by means of the roller 16, and when the door- 10 is fully opened, the torsion bar 18 is operated to open the door 10.

In operation, upon opening the door 10 from the full closed state thereof as viewed in FIG. l,'the door 10 is pivotally rotated around the pin IS in the counterclockwise direction and the roller I6 is contacted with the bending portion 18b of the torsion bar 18. However,-upon further opening the door 10, the bending portion 18b ofthe torsion bar 18 is rotated about the base portion 180 by the urging force of the extended portion Ila of the reinforcement plate 11 in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 1. Therefore, the roller 16 is rotated by the bending portion 18b of the torsion bar 18, and thereafter the stopper face He of the extended portion Ila is brought into contact with the base portion 18a of the torsion bar 18. In this manner, the full opening angle of'the door I0is limited as viewed in FIG. 3. After the roller 16 passes the bending portion 18b of the torsion bar IS, the bending portion 18b is returned to the rest position and the door 10 is held in the fully open state. Regarding the closing operation, upon rotating the'door 10 around the hinge pin 15 in the clockwise direction, the door 10 is closed by the opposite operation to the abovementioned opening operation.

Next, referring to FIG. 5 showing the second embodiment, the roller 16 is pivotally mounted on the upper bending portion 18b of the torsion bar 18 and is arranged to be able to contact with the extended portion Ila of the reinforcement plate 11.

In operation, upon opening the door 10, the door 10 is pivotally rotated around the hinge pin 15 in the counterclockwise direction just as in the first embodiment and the extended portion Ila of the reinforcement plate 11 is contacted with the roller 16. However, the bending portion 18b of the torsion bar 18 is pivotally rotated around the base portion 18a of the torsion bar 18 in the counterclockwise direction by the urging force of the extended portion Ila with the rotation of the door I0. The roller 16 is rotated by the extended portion Ila of the reinforcement plate II and the extended portion Ila passes the roller I6 and the stopper face Ilc of the reinforcement plate II is contacted with the base portion 18a of the torsion bar I8 such that the full opening angle is limited. After the torsion bar 18 passes the extended portion 11a of the reinforcement plate 11, the torsion bar 18 is returned to the rest position and the movement of the ,door in the closing direction is limited with the door 10 held in the open state.

The closing operation of the door 10 is the same as the first embodiment.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 8, showing a third embodiment of the present invention, the reinforcement plate ll is shown being composed of a generally waveshaped or corrugated structure, as best seen in FIG. 7, disposed between and integrally formed with parallel flat edge surfaces at either end lying in planes which are substantially perpendicular to the general plane of the corrugated portion of the plate, and from which the portions 11a and 11b extend. A stopper pin 21 extends between parallel portions of the fixed plate 13 which extend from the main body thereof, being connected thereto through apertures formed in such extensions, the internal surfaces of the apertures and the external surfaces of the portions of the stopper pin which are disposed within such apertures being serrated, as best seen in FIG. 8. The stopper pin 21 contacts the stopper faces lld provided on the extended portions 11a and 11b thereof which have pivotal holes lle and llf, respectively disposed therein, for limiting the opening angle of the door 10.

In operation, upon opening door 10, the door 10 is pivotally rotated around the hinge pin 15 in the counterclockwise direction. In the fully open state the stopper face lld is contacted with the stopper pin 21 and the opening angle of the door 10 is limited.

Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A door hinge mechanism provided between a movable door and a door pillar rigid with a chassis of a vehicle, comprising in combination:

a reinforcement member fixedly attached to an inner portion of said door,

a fixed member rigidly mounted on said pillar,

a stopper means provided on said fixed member, and

a hinge pin member for pivotally mounting said reinforcement member and said fixed member and being serratedly connected with said reinforcement member,

said reinforcement member having first and second extended portions integrally formed thereon and parallel to one another, and stopper faces formed on said first and second extended portions being connected with said stopper means upon door opening, whereby the open angle of said door is limited.

2. A door hinge mechanism as set forth in claim 1, wherein a portion of said reinforcement member between said parallel first and second extended portions is generally corrugated in configuration.

3. A door hinge mechanism as set forth in claim 2, wherein said stopper means is a stopper pin.

4. A door hinge mechanism as set forth in claim 2, furthericomprising a roller means pivotally rotatably mounted on at least one of said first and second extended portions.

5. A door hinge mechanism as set forth in claim 4, wherein said stopper means is a generally C-shaped torsion bar.

6. A door hinge mechanism as set forth in claim 5, wherein said torsion bar includes a base portion extended through said fixed member and an upper bent portion capable of contacting with said roller means, and a lower bent portion rigidly mounted on said fixed member at an end portion thereof. =l= 

1. A door hinge mechanism provided between a movable door and a door pillar rigid with a chassis of a vehicle, comprising in combination: a reinforcement member fixedly attached to an inner portion of said door, a fixed member rigidly mounted on said pillar, a stopper means provided on said fixed member, and a hinge pin member for pivotally mounting said reinforcement member and said fixed member and being serratedly connected with said reinforcement member, said reinforcement member having first and second extended portions integrally formed thereon and parallel to one another, and stopper faces formed on said first and second extended portions being connected with said stopper means upon door opening, whereby the open angle of said door is limited.
 2. A door hinge mechanism as set forth in claim 1, wherein a portion of said reinforcement member between said parallel first and second extended portions is generally corrugated in configuration.
 3. A door hinge mechanism as set forth in claim 2, wherein said stopper means is a stopper pin.
 4. A door hinge mechanism as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a roller means pivotally rotatably mounted on at least one of said first and second extended portions.
 5. A door hinge mechanism as set forth in claim 4, wherein said stopper means is a generally C-shaped torsion bar.
 6. A door hinge mechanism as set forth in claim 5, wherein said torsion bar includes a base portion extended through said fixed member and an upper bent portion capable of contacting with said roller means, and a lower bent portion rigidly mounted on said fixed member at an end portion thereof. 